Final design for CAT station rejected

An impassioned session that once again pitted opponents against architects of the county's proposed bus complex ended Wednesday with the Historic Review Board unanimously rejecting final design plans for the project.

The 9-0 vote, by the panel charged with enforcing guidelines for building within Savannah's Historic District, came minutes after members entertained reversing an earlier decision to grant preliminary approval to the controversial project slated for Oglethorpe Avenue.

In December, the historic board gave final approval to the height and mass of Chatham Area Transit's Centre Station. The panel's job at Wednesday's meeting was to consider the compatibility of the $13 million project's design with the architecture of Savannah's prized Historic District.

In voting, board members agreed with City Preservation Officer Beth Reiter, who raised six pages of concerns about the design. Among Reiter's arguments were that the two buildings making up the complex were too box-like.

But project proponents said the rejection had a lot to do with what they called non-germane arguments presented by the Elbert Square Alliance, who have been fighting over the proposed site of the complex for the last year. The group maintains the block-long complex -- which would house an indoor waiting area for riders transferring buses, as well as transit offices, retail space and a parking garage -- would be better placed on a site west of Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Project architect Paul Hansen, who maintained his plans were in full compliance with historic district building guidelines, said he planned to bring a revised set before the board for reconsideration next month.

"We're disappointed by the fact that the process was not followed," Hansen said. "We spent two and half hours in there. We talked about architecture for about 10 minutes."

Opponents took the opportunity to reiterate their arguments against the proposal: that it would be a barrier to the restoration of Elbert Square, now just a sliver of green; it would result in the loss of public access to a city lane that would home 10 idling buses picking up and dropping off passengers; and that it would clog an already congested area with traffic and fumes. They repeatedly pointed to a February ruling by the National Park Service, declaring the project a threat to the city's coveted National Historic Landmark status.

New concerns also were raised. Opponents urged salvation of a small 19th century building that sits on Oglethorpe Lane, which would bisect the two-building complex. The building, which would be torn down to make way for the complex, was once part of Wetter House, which was destroyed during the 1950s.

"It is the wrong building and the wrong place and the county ought to be told that," said longtime preservationist Lee Adler, one of more than a dozen opponents to take the podium.

Chairman Gwendolyn Fortson-Waring repeatedly warned the speakers to stick to the issue at hand.

"Keep it to design," she said.

Despite the warning, opponents' pleas reached board members.

W. John Mitchell, who voted to approve the project's height and mass, made a motion to reconsider that issue, saying he had "been conflicted" with his decision "for a long time."

"A building in a different place makes a lot more sense," he said.

After Hansen, the architect, objected, board members took a break to pore over the legality of a revote. Ten minutes later, Fortson-Waring emerged from intense discussion to agree with Hansen that the time limit to take such action had passed.

Minutes later, board member Swann Seiler made a motion to deny the project's final design plans.

"I'm very disappointed," said CAT executive director Scott Lansing as he left the building. "It's a great project for downtown. They (opponents) are killing a golden opportunity."

Said County Commissioner Joe Murray Rivers, also a major proponent of the project: "They're about winning and having their way and they always get it."

Reporter Jennifer Moroz can be reached at 652-0496 or jmoroz @ savannahnow.com.

Transfer Station Plans Through the Years

December 1995 -- Oglethorpe Mall officials inform CAT that they don't want a mini-transfer station. The $46,000 spent on design costs are absorbed by CAT and a $265,000 grant for the facility is returned to the federal government. The effort began in 1991.

March 1996 -- Preliminary planning for a downtown transfer station begins.

September 1996 -- U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., secures the first $1 million appropriation for the station. It is included in the 1997 federal transportation budget. The proposed location is county-owned land at Oglethorpe Avenue and Montgomery Street.

July 1997 -- $8 million dollars is included in the 1998 federal transportation appropriations bill for the transfer station.

October 1998 -- $3.5 million is allocated for the station. When combined with previous allocations, $8.7 million is available to build the facility.

September 1999 -- $1 million in funds are released by the federal government so that planning for the station can begin.

March 2000 -- The Chatham County Commission approves a preliminary contract with DNBA/Hansen architects to plan and engineering the building of the transfer station.

March 2001 -- As the project begins the design phase, objections are raised about the location of the station.

May 2001 -- The Chatham Area Transportation board votes to proceed with plans to build the transfer station at Oglethorpe and Montgomery despite protests made by Downtown Neighborhood Association, Savannah Renewal and Development Authority, Downtown Business Association and residents.

June 2001 -- The Elbert Square Alliance is formed to protest the site. They argue the project would violate Savannah's historic town plan and prevent restoring a decimated Elbert Square to its former glory.

August 2001 -- Despite protests, the Historic District Board of Review approves the projects design, 5-3. Architect Paul Hansen agrees to investigate lowering the height of the garage by 10 feet and rework the towers.

November 2001 -- Georgia Historic Preservation Division gets involved when they rule that the reworked station plans raise new concerns and warrant further study.

December 2001 -- After Hansen reworks the design of the station, the Historic District Board of Review approves the plans with four of the eight members voting in favor, one voting against, and three others abstaining. The five registered votes are enough for a quorum to pass the plans.

January 2002 -- The Federal Transit Administration declares the project will not adversely affect the historic district. The agency, which holds the purse strings to $10 million in federal funding for the project, cannot release the money without such a finding.

February 2002 -- Cecil McKithan, an Atlanta-based official with the National Park Service, agrees with the Elbert Square Alliance that the complex would have an "adverse impact" on the historic district. He declares Savannah at risk of losing its National Historic Landmark status if the project proceeds.

March 2002 -- The FTA says it is reviewing new concerns about the project's impact on the historic district.

April 10, 2002 -- The Historic Review Board rejects final design plans for the station, 9 to 0.

Researched and compiled by Julia C. Muller, News Researcher

Source: Savannah Morning News files

The Funding Issue

Project planners had originally thought the Historic Review Board approval was the last one they needed before construction could begin. But new questions have been raised about the status of $10 million in federal funding for the station.

The Federal Transit Administration, the agency in charge of administering those funds, is reviewing concerns about the project's impact on the historic district.

The project also is not listed on the county's long-range transportation plan, making it ineligible for federal funding, said Mark Wilkes, chief transportation planner with the Metropolitan Planning Commission. Adding the project, he added, would require an amendment to the plan.

That process involves the review of several committees of the Chatham Urban Transportation Study, and public input.